**Part One**
Word Count: 3,345

"No way did my father set me up to not just work with you, but to live with you!" Veronica said when she saw who answered the door at the address her father had provided her only a few hours ago.

Veronica looked up from her computer, pausing the search she was conducting at the sound of the door to Mars Investigations opening. She gave a smile when she saw it was her dad back from his meeting. He hadn't told her who it was with or where he was going. She'd even snooped in his appointment calendar but nothing was written down, beyond the time being circled in pencil.

Her smile fell a little when he didn't return it. Well, he did, just not as enthusiastically as usual.

"Uh oh," she said.

"What?"

"I take it the meeting didn't go well?"

"No, it went well." He shrugged, letting out a sigh. "It was so much easier when I was sheriff. I couldn't let the knowledge that someone filing a report was bad influence my decision to investigate a case."

"Um, okay…" Veronica said, puzzled.

"It's not so easy here. I mean, we need the money and the client is sincere in wanting to hire us."

"So, what's the problem? He's a little shady? Come on, Dad, it wouldn't be the first time a client of ours walked the other side of the line of the law."

"The thing is," he said, taking a seat on the couch. "It involves you."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you'd be the investigator."

"Okay. That's a problem? I've done investigations on my own before." Her dad looked away and refused to meet her gaze even after several minutes of uncomfortable silence had passed. "What aren't you telling me?"

"This client…"

"The shady guy?"

"Right. He's been hired by this establishment to uncover who's enticing his employees to moonlight elsewhere. He wants me to put someone - you - inside to try and get information he may not be able to get."

"All right. I can do that. How hard can it be? What was she? A unicyclist in a circus or something I can't fake knowledge of."

"You'd be working as an exotic dancer."

"I'm sorry? I know I didn't just hear the words exotic dancer come from my father's mouth."

"You did," he said, sounding defeated. He ran a hand over the top of his head as he stood from the couch. "Just forget it. I'll tell him we can't do it, return the retainer."

"He gave you a retainer?"

"Yes," he said, sounding cautious.

"You didn't say that."

"Does it matter?"

"Well, yeah, a little," she said with a shrug, not sure why it mattered. Except that meant the guy was serious about obtaining their help. From what Veronica had ascertained, this was the first meeting between her dad and the client. Most people wouldn't bring a retainer to a first meeting unless they were serious.

"And he's promised to cover your expenses while on the job. Room and board, costumes for the job. Did I mention it's just skimpy clothes? No nudity? More like an upscale Hooters."

"Thank God," Veronica muttered.

"It's not here in Neptune. It's down in LA."

"So, I'd be living there?"

Her dad nodded. "Thus the offer of providing you with room and board. This goes above and beyond what I would expect you to do, Veronica."

"And if you were sheriff and I was a police officer and this case landed on your desk?"

"That's different."

"You'd want me to do it, though, right?"

He sighed, avoiding her eyes again.

"I'll do it," Veronica said. "I mean, does he know you have someone to use for the job?"

"Oh, he knows all right," he said softly. It sounded more like a mumble really.

"Okay."

"You sure you want to do this?"

"I'm sure. I mean, everyone has breasts so it's not like I'll be showing anything no one's seen before."

"I do not want to hear that!"

"Not mine, Dad! Just in general." The list wasn't overly long as far as who had seen hers up close and personal, but her dad didn't want to know that.

"I'll let him know and get the address for you."

"How does he know I'll get hired? I mean, I've never done anything like that before."

"That's good to know," her dad said with a wry smile. "He's been brought in as a bouncer by the owner who hired him. He's mentioned to the management he's involved with a dancer."

"Whoa! I'm involved with the guy, too?"

"Did I neglect to mention that part?"

"Yes, you did."

"It's just some undercover work, Veronica. And, honestly, I think - and I'm speaking as your father not as Keith Mars, Private Investigator - that you might be safer if they think someone on the inside is watching you extra closely."

"Are you going to change your mind?" he said, knowing she wouldn't.

"Do I have my own bedroom?"

"Yes, though it has to look like you actually share one with me. Believe me, Miss Mars, this isn't any easier for me to stomach than it is you, but this is a legitimate job or your father wouldn't have taken it," Clarence Wiedman said. They'd been on opposite sides of many a confrontation and argument. She certainly never saw the day coming they'd be working together instead of against one another.

"I'm so going to make sure my father is charging you his high-risk rate."

"I'm compensating not just your father but you quite well."

She clutched her bags tightly and stepped across the threshold. It should have felt creepier, making a deal with the devil. Nothing happened, nothing changed. She didn't feel like she'd just sold her soul.

"Does Mr. Kane know…"

"No, my workload with the Kane's has decreased immensely."

"Lucky for you, or you wouldn't have time to work as a bouncer at a titty bar."

She thought he saw a hint of a smile at that, but couldn't be sure. Did Clarence Wiedman know what a joke was? Or how to smile? She'd never thought about it before now.

"I can't believe my dad agreed to my living with you."

"It's an assignment, Miss Mars, not a marriage proposal. If you can't handle it then perhaps you should look for another line of work."

"I know what it is! And I'll do my job." They seemed to take one another in, an inspection of some sort. She'd never seen him like this, when lives weren't on the line. Or something wasn't at stake anyway. It was kind of odd to think of him sitting around the house, watching TV like a normal person. She'd just never stopped to think he had a life outside of making the lives of so many miserable. Hers included. "So, where do I put my stuff?"

"Upstairs. I have a room down here, so the entire second floor will be yours."

"But I have to come down here to eat and stuff?"

"I imagine you do," he said. He sounded amused not mocking.

"Fine," she said, fighting the urge to call her father and ask him if he'd gone insane. Instead, she followed him upstairs.

"This isn't bad," she said as she took in her surroundings. It wasn't a mansion or anything, but it was bigger than the apartment she shared with her father. She'd almost forgotten what living in a real house was like.

"I'm glad it meets your lofty standards," he said, pushing a door open.

"How did you come by it? I mean, you don't really live here?"

"I have a friend who knows a friend who happened to have this property standing empty."

"How convenient, but it's not bad."

"College students live here during the school year, I believe, and no one took it for the summer."

"Oh," she said with a nod.

"This will be your room. The others don't have much as far as furnishings go. Plus, this one has an attached bathroom, which I thought would appeal to you."

"Yours doesn't?"

"No," he said simply.

"All right, thanks," she said, setting her bags down. Maybe the concept of an attached bathroom wasn't a big deal to him, but it sure was a selling point to her.

"I took the liberty of stocking your closet."

"I'm sorry?"

"You have an image to portray here; I had to be sure you had the right clothes."

"I know that. I just don't like the idea of you buying things for me."

"No more than I enjoyed doing it, I assure you. It was just a few things that fit going to and from the club." He stepped back into the hallway. "Now get settled and then come downstairs. I've managed to set up an audition for you in a couple of hours. We need to go over a routine for you."

"Dad said the job was mine."

"It's a formality, they just need to see you can actually dance. And have the equipment," he said, eyes dropping to her chest, "to attract the customers attention and keep it."

"I see," she said, fighting the urge to tug on the hem of her shirt so he couldn't see her breasts quite so well. She cleared her throat instead, glancing at him after she'd set her bags down as casually as she could. "Do you think that's going to be an issue?"

He chuckled then. "No, Miss Mars, I don't think that will be an issue at all."

"You have to get over the Miss Mars bit if we're going to be convincing as a couple."

"I'm aware of that. I'm trying to let you adjust to this. The outfit laid out on the bed was the one I thought was most conducive to your audition."

"Thanks," she said, turning back to her things once he'd left the room.

She took longer than necessary. The room wasn't that big and the clothes didn't have that much material. So, he'd know she was procrastinating. He'd even arranged for a cell phone for her. She presumed the numbers programmed in it went to this house and to his cell phone.

She turned hers off, sliding it in between the mattress and box spring of her bed. She hated doing it, but she knew that if that phone were found they'd be busted. Having people like Logan Echolls on her speed dial probably wouldn't go well to keeping their cover story.

She took the time to fix her makeup and hair before putting on what he'd set aside for her to wear. She could have argued, but he knew the club and she didn't. And she was here to get the job so that she could get the job she had been hired to do done.

There wasn't much. The tops of the stockings weren't hidden by her very short skirt. And the top? Well, she may as well not have been wearing one it was that skimpy. And see-through. She took a deep breath after checking herself out in the bathroom mirror.

"You can do this, Veronica. It's like a play!" She just wished she could perform the part in clothes she was comfortable wearing.

He was in the kitchen when she got downstairs. He turned, obviously having heard her come into the room. She saw him falter a little bit and smiled. If she could make Clarence pause, well, she must have been doing something right.

"Do I pass your inspection?"

"You'll do."

"Thank you," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Let's practice this routine so we can get on with this job."

And she did just that. They also took the time to get a story together about them and their relationship. It turned out he'd been working as a bouncer for about three weeks now so he knew somewhat how things worked.

"I get to keep the tips?"

"Yes, Miss Mars."

"Veronica," she corrected. "My name is Veronica, Clarence."

"Veronica."

"Well, let's get this show on the road. Just one question," she said, grabbing the purse he'd even thought to buy for her identity.

"Yes?"

"I do get to wear normal clothes around the house and stuff, right?"

"Yes."

"Thank God. Let's go then."

"Wait for me when you've gotten out of the car."

"What? Why?" she asked.

"Because I don't want there to be any question we're together when you walk in there. The act starts as soon as we pull into the parking lot."

"Why? Jealous?"

He scoffed. "No, Veronica, but I don't want anyone to get the idea that you could be theirs. I swore to your father I'd do whatever I could to protect you. I stand by my word, however questionable you think that word is."

"All right," she said, chewing on a piece of gum. The heels she wore were an inch too high to be comfortable. She could walk in them fine, but if she had to run a suspect down, she'd be in a heap of trouble.

She waited for him as directed in front of the car. He wore a suit. She wasn't sure why he got to wear a suit and she had to look like the slut from hell. It didn't seem fair. Of course it was a titty bar that catered to hetero men not women or gay men. She reached up, doing a girlfriendy thing and straightened his tie.

"Thank you," he said, a glimmer of amusement in his eye told her he knew exactly what she was doing. "Break a leg."

"Not literally I hope?"

"Of course not."

"With you I can't be sure."

"I'm going to put an arm around you now," he said.

"All right," she said. "Are you going to watch the audition?"

"I'll be in the room, but won't watch anymore than I have to," he said simply.

"Hmm. Don't you like girls, Clarence?"

"I don't want you nervous about my seeing you like that. On the other hand, I promised your father so I have to be there with you."

She snorted. "And you won't when you're working?"

"I'll be at the door, so no not much."

She glanced at him then. "You really mean that, don't you?"

"Of course I do. I'm a lot of things, but taking pleasure in putting someone's daughter in this position isn't one of them."

"I never would have thought."

"You don't know anything about me. You can't lump me into a stereotype based on actions I committed at the behest of someone who paid my salary. A very good salary I might add." He stopped at the doors to the club. There was more to what he did than merely being Jake Kane's go-to guy. They both knew that. "Enough talk about those things. You're on, Veronica. You did fine at the house. I've seen some of the other talent that works here."

"That's not saying much."

"You'll be fine. Just take a deep breath and do what we went over at the house." He opened the door, letting her pass through first. "And spit out your gum!"

"Yeah, yeah," she said, taking it from her mouth with her fingers and tossing it into a nearby ashtray.

It didn't take long for the manager to get right down to business. Clarence handed him the Adam Ant CD that had the song on it she'd danced to earlier at the house. She'd only heard Strip a couple of times over the years but it kind of suited the situation.

Clarence was true to his word. He feigned attentiveness, but his eyes were very rarely directed specifically at her. How did she know that? If you're not used to walking around in just a skimpy bra and panties in front of people you seem to have a homing beacon that knows exactly where every set of eyes was.

Of course, they waited until she was down to the bare minimum before asking her questions. She'd stood there answering their questions to the best of her alter ego's ability. Her stage name was Sindy. She'd rolled her eyes when Clarence had told her that, but it did kind of work she supposed. Certainly, it was a better stripper name than Veronica or Ronnie. Neither of which were very sexy sounding.

"You can start tonight?" The man seemed to be in charge asked the question.

"Sure," she said, sounding every bit the stereotypical blonde beach bunny. "Is that all right with you, pumkin?" She turned her gaze to Clarence who was doing his best to maintain eye contact with her.

"Yes," he said dryly.

"Then it's settled," she said sweetly. "I can start tonight."

"Do you know how to drive?"

"Of course I do. Why?"

"Just making sure you're not relying on your boyfriend to get you here every shift."

"Oh no. I just like getting driven around." She walked up to Clarence, running a fingertip over his arm. "I get to have more fun that way." She gave a giggle.

"Sin…" Clarence said.

"What, honey? I wasn't supposed to say that? I don't think they care what we do on our own time."

She chanced a glance in his eyes and saw that he was amused not upset. Good. She wasn't sure if she was taking it too far, but they'd decided that Sindy wasn't too much of an independent or deep thinker. Better to make people think that by talking around her was safe.

Details of pay, tips, expectations, and shifts worked out she and Clarence left with her having to be back in a couple of hours to work.

"That went very well," he said once they were by his car.

She dropped the large purse on the hood of his car and jumped up on it. She slid another piece of gum in her mouth.

"It wasn't that bad. I'm not sure how I'll feel later tonight knowing it's more than a handful of guys looking at me."

"I will say it again. You do not have to do this."

"I don't recall ever hearing you say it."

"I said it to your father. I made it clear to him I did not want you doing this out of obligation."

"A girl's got to have at least one juicy story to tell her grandkids. And, hey, it's summer break," she shrugged and grabbed for the end of his tie, drawing him toward her. He arched his eyebrow in surprise, but came willingly.

"In case they're watching," she said softly as she slid her legs around his thighs.

"There are no windows…"

"But they have cameras out here."

"Right," he said. Had she really noticed something he had missed? Or was he just having an off moment? Very little got past Clarence Wiedman. That was one of the things she liked about him. He kept her on her toes better than any other man she knew did.

And where had that thought come from?

"You knew I would do it. So don't go feeling guilty now. What's a little T&A for a good paycheck?"

"I'm glad you see it that way. I'm not so sure your father does."

"I'm here, aren't I?"

"You are an adult. He could not stop you from coming here even if he'd wanted to."

"He didn't have to come back from his meeting with you and tell me about it."

"True, but he's an honorable man. He would not have done that after giving me his word he would approach you about it."

"You think my dad's honorable?"

"I do."

"Thank you," she said softly. There was something about knowing he didn't think her dad was a loser or a bumbling idiot that made her feel good.

She reached up and planted a kiss on his lips.

"Let's go then, Frankie." He rolled his eyes and drew away, offering her a hand so she could slide off the car with ease. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

**Part Two**
Word Count: 1,525

"I thought you'd be asleep by now," Veronica said when she came home. She and a couple of the girls had gone to get something to eat after their shift. It had gotten later than she realized, so she was surprised to see Clarence on the couch. She thought for a minute he'd fallen asleep, but he turned to look at her almost as soon as she came in.

"I was waiting for you," he said, glancing at his watch.

"You know we're not really dating, right? It's just an act for the job?"

He closed the book he'd been reading and rolled his eyes. He looked at her, assessing her she imagined. She wondered what he saw. Not that she cared necessarily, she was just kind of curious to know. She'd caught him off guard a time or two when they'd worked the same job. He was probably wishing he'd gone with another PI about now. And while it shouldn't, for some reason the idea of him working with someone else in this bothered her.

"Yes, Veronica, I'm aware. I expected you earlier. That's all."

"Oh," she said, not having thought of that. He was worried. Who knew Clarence could worry? She'd been surprised at being asked since it was her first night. She hadn't thought to call or anything.

"Is that your form of an apology?"

"Um, yeah, I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd worry."

"I promised your father I'd look after you. While the club is reputable there are deviants that hang out in places like that, looking for someone to prey on."

"I know, I know. A couple of the girls asked me to join them for dinner."

He stood from the couch then. "Did you learn anything?"

"Nothing useful. One of the dancers is involved with one of the bartenders, but I'm not sure which one. In either case. And evidently Penny, who I haven't met yet, called in sick today because she got implants done a couple of days ago."

"I don't care about their social lives or who has breast implants, Veronica. Did you learn anything useful?"

"No, I was just telling you what I learned, because if I leave something out and you find out later and tell me you could have used the information I'd scream."

"You're right."

"Is that your form of an apology?"

His lips quivered a bit. It wasn't a full-out smile, but for Clarence it was pretty close. As close as she'd ever seen anyway. They'd never been in a position to see one another smile. They were usually trying to outmaneuver or beat one another to the finish line. And not try to kill one another in the process. Well, she'd never tried to kill him. The same probably couldn't be said in return now that she thought about it. Would Jake Kane really have ordered her killed? No, Veronica never got the impression Lilly and Duncan's dad had a problem with her. His wife might have, especially before the blood test had been done.

"I guess so," he said dryly.

"So, anyway, that's tonight's report."

"Anything happen at the club?"

"No, nothing. I danced, I got tips."

"No one approached you?"

"No. One of the bouncers was in the dressing area when I got back there, but he didn't say anything to me. I assumed he'd gone to the bathroom or something."

"All right."

She doubted anyone was going to approach her on her first night anyway. That would certainly be ideal and put an end to this charade she was having to live. In the meantime, she'd make some decent money if tonight was any way to judge. She came home with close to two hundred dollars just in tips. If she could make that every night. Well, it made her understand how other girls could be enticed into this type of work.

She gagged at the thought of dancing privately as a way to earn even more. She'd have to put those feelings on hold if she wanted to help Clarence solve his case, though. The plan was for Veronica to make it known she needed to earn as much money as she could to help pay for their wedding. Hopefully, whoever was encouraging the other dancers to moonlight away from the club would get word of it and approach her about earning some extra money.

The owner probably would have looked the other way, but one of the off-site customers seriously hurt one of the dancers. Enter Clarence Wiedman into the picture. And when he'd realized what the situation was, he'd enlisted the help of Mars Investigations. Veronica supposed she should be flattered Clarence thought she could pull this job off.

"Well, while you were out socializing…"

"Oh, please, it wasn't exactly my idea of fun."

"They weren't nice to you?"

"Well, yeah, they were, but they were nice to Sindy, not Veronica."

He chuckled then and walked toward her. "Just have fun with it. It's a game. This is for you," he said, reaching into his pocket. He placed a ring in the palm of her hand.

"Clarence, you shouldn't have," she said, picking the ring up and looking at it. "It's not bad."

"I got a good deal."

"Big spender," she said, giving his arm a playful slug. "Should I wear it to work? I can't wear it when I'm dancing."

"Keep it in your purse so if you go out again like tonight you have it on you."

"All right," she said, slipping it over her finger. "It fits."

"I guessed on the size."

"You're a good guesser then." She held her hand out in front of her. It certainly wasn't how she pictured herself getting an engagement ring. "Do I get to keep it?"

"If you want to, I have no use for it. I was going to pawn it when we were done."

"No girlfriend, Clarence?"

"No, I don't have time for girlfriends."

"Hmm," she said. "Any ex-wives?"

"None."

"Children?"

"If I don't have ex-wives…"

"You don't have to be married to have children."

"None."

"You've led a charmed life."

"Some would say."

"You don't?"

"I've made my bed, I lie in it. My life is what it is. I don't regret the decisions I've made nor would I go back and change anything I've done. And I certainly don't dwell on things."

She nodded slightly. She could respect that. She always felt the people who said they would go back and do things differently were kind of wishy-washy. And would they really do things differently? Where would they end up if they did?

"I suppose that raises me back up to being a monster in your mind?"

"No, actually, the opposite really." She shrugged. "I've done a few things I'm not too proud of, acted rashly or too quickly and people got in trouble."

"And you don't regret it?"

"Not really. I mean, if the people weren't acting or doing something suspicious to begin with I wouldn't have pointed a finger at them. Not that it compares to the type of stuff you've done."

"You have no idea what I've actually done."

"I have some."

"And those would be works of fiction with no tangible proof unless you have evidence."

"Getting defensive, Clarence? Have I struck a nerve?"

"No, but you cannot take our previous encounters merely at face value. I was doing my job."

"I know, and thought you were protecting Duncan in the process." She glanced at him. "I find it hard to believe you bought that Duncan did it hook, line and sinker."

"Evidence pointed that way, and I had to do what his parents wanted me to do."

"So, if you'd known from the beginning…?"

"The Kane's would have wanted to avoid a scandal."

"So, things would have gone down the same way. More or less."

"More or less," he said with a shrug. "They would have wanted to protect Logan who had already lost one parent."

"Don't even get me started on that one…"

"Not convinced she jumped?"

"It seemed too neat, but I haven't gotten a hit on one of her credit cards since Trina stopped using them so I guess I have to believe maybe she really did."

"You still have her cards flagged?"

"Yes," she said simply.

His eyes softened a little then. "I would do the same thing," he admitted.

"You would?"

"Yes, if it involved a friend. And having them flagged doesn't harm anything."

"Do you have friends, Clarence?"

"I have had a few here and there, yes."

"Huh."

"So have I eased your mind that I'm not a complete monster?"

"I don't know there's anything you can do to convince me of that just like I doubt you'll stop thinking of me as a pain in the ass, but I don't think you're as bad as I thought all those times."

"That's good to know."

"No denying the pain the ass remark?"

"My mother told me never to tell a lie."

"Right, I'm sure she did," Veronica said wryly.

"At least I haven't labeled you an annoyance."

"There is that."

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Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com